Summer’s trend? Last Sunglasses used to protect from Covid, they are Bold, strong, with matt or very shiny marbled surfaces, or minimal with golden frames like those of John Lennon or David Bowie
Strong (designers call it bold), or lighter (minimal), to blend in with the sun’s rays even on the terrace and defend your eyes at every walk (allowed), not only from harmful rays. Potentially, glasses can also provide some protection from the Covid-19, but since it is limited to the area of the eye sheltered by the lens (while the exposed sides can still offer a point of access to the virus), the advice is always to avoid touching your eyes, in line with the indications of the main health authorities.
Categories of the spirit:
One thing is certain: wearing a pair of glasses is a pleasure. They are much more than an accessory, they dress the face and interpret the two sides of the human spirit: the desire to hide and the desire to be looked at. “Eye-wear is a true science that inspires the imagination, so much so that in many cases it leads to peaks of true poetry: in shapes, lines and colors. It is said that the eye is the mirror of the soul. I would add that the eyeglass animates the eye, gives life to it because it adds expression to the face”, recalled Michelangelo Pistoletto in the introduction to the beautiful volume “Occhiali e dintorni” (Fabiano ed.). Unlike clothes, glasses are collected, with vintage pieces that are enriched from time to time by the new models, always powerful in protecting against harmful UV rays, light, ergonomic: high-tech details that are transformed into design, such as the anti-fog ventilation holes (Alain Mikli) that recall the cuts on Lucio Fontana’s canvases.
Gold and bronze:
Light and clean with metal frames (often titanium) warmed by gold and bronze tones, in the typical teardrop or geometric shapes (yellow, green and ochre, shaded) they recall the Seventies and the epic look of immortal stars like John Lennon or David Bowie, up to the minimalist ones of the Nineties, in line with fashion (which often wink at the crackling Eighties). So here is the other trend: powerful profiles with an architectural design – always without edges and hardness – characterized by the combination of different layers of acetate, “a sum of physical elements, color and movement conceived in a physical-psychic unity”, quoting Fontana.
Marbled:
The rigor of the shapes is made powerful by the matt or shiny surfaces and the marbled colors, black and white on all (Prada, Chanel, Versace). Then there are also the flowers or butterflies that decorate the eyes or cover half the face like a tattoo (Moschino and Michael Kors), recalls to nature in the name of an ideal of classic simplicity. Eye-wear is a powerful means of communication not only for brands, as designers well know, but also for Italy, which holds the world record for quality production (mostly concentrated in the Cadore district). A vocation that began in the 1970s, when Milan, a lover of beauty and exclusivity, understood the potential of the small plastic object transformed into design by the work of skilled craftsmen.
Sunglasses on the beach. Five Unforeseen Situations
Maybe you have already come to terms, at the end of a day at the beach, with some inconvenience with your sunglasses. Here are the 5 most frequent surprises!
Flip-flops, hat, a good book and the inevitable dustpan and bucket for the little ones … Here we go! Everything is ready to head to the beach and plant the umbrella in the perfect corner in front of the sea! Whether you are a sunbathing fanatic or prefer to enjoy the sea breeze while leaving the city traffic behind, there is an accessory that you ca not really miss on your beach gear…sunglasses!
They accompany you in all situations, the most fun, the most relaxing … but also the most unexpected! And these are the ones we will explain if you want to read our article.
An important premise is a duty to do:
Sunglasses are a medical device that protects the eyes from the dangers of the sun’s rays… That’s why it’s important to make an informed choice of lenses, paying attention to summer scams! Only lenses with CE marking, as established and repeatedly reiterated by the Ministry of Health, can ensure the well-being of our eyesight, guaranteeing the best quality.
If you want to be sure of the quality of the lens you buy, rely on the traditional opticians partners. They will be happy to offer you all the time you want for specialized advice and a lot of information about the best products.
So far, so good! But let’s get to the painful notes and all those inconvenient episodes that can cause some annoying mishaps on a perfect day at the beach and that have to do with sunglasses. In particular:
1 – When you forget your glasses at the beach
At the top of the list of unforeseen events is definitely this and there’s nothing to say… it’s the numbers and the eyewitnesses that speak for themselves. This is demonstrated by the surveys conducted by the Italian Swimmers’ Union according to which the first place among the objects most forgotten by tourists are sunglasses or prescription glasses. Here is the link to the research conducted on the basis of data from the summer of 2017.
In practice, spectacles are often forgotten in the most trivial places. For example:
- On the sunbed or deckchair
- Hanging under the parasol
Actually, it happens during the day to take off your sunglasses, for example if you suffer from presbyopia and you have some difficulty reading it is not uncommon to use a pair of single-focal glasses up close to read the novel of the moment or to reel in the inevitable rebuses and crosswords. In this case it’s common to take off your sunglasses from a distance and put them on the tip of your nose, the reading ones.
In conclusion, one of the two pairs of glasses is certainly in the wrong place. Our advice?
Always check the sunbed and umbrella before leaving the beach. Choose a progressive sunglasses to combine near and far and take no chances!
2 – When you break your sunglasses on the beach
For those who do not know (… or can not!) stay still for a moment, this is certainly one of the most frequent unforeseen events. Parents or grandparents struggling with the little ones know it well! Among sand castles to build and ditches to dig the danger that the glasses fall and end up under someone’s feet is absolutely common … without considering beach games as the inevitable beach volleyball!
3 – When you take a bath without taking your glasses off…
A classic for those who are so comfortable with glasses that they even forget to wear them! So when the long-awaited time of day comes when you can dive into the blue sea to cool off and have fun in the water, you do not think about anything! You dive down to the shore, dive slowly and at a certain point throw your head under the water realizing, all of a sudden, how everything looks strangely different color!
progressive sunglasses… Of course… you have two graduated sunglasses in your eyes! Alas, this will force you to return under the umbrella, leave your precious accessory in your bag and finally dive back into the sea for a nice swim in peace
4 – When the lenses get dirty and become opaque
Sunglasses certainly protect our eyesight but sometimes we forget that they have to be protected too! Among the threats that are most hidden in a peaceful beach we find:
- Oils and sunscreen
- Grains of sand
- Dust and dirt
You have to think that if we didn’t wear glasses to the beach, everything we listed would end up right in our eyes, generating burning and phenomena such as dry eyes.
This is precisely why one of the most common advice from opticians and ophthalmologists is not to use contact lenses at the beach, because they could facilitate the accumulation of dirt and other material on the eyeball promoting inflammation and infections of various kinds. There is no comparison with a good pair of graduated lenses!
On the other hand, when the lens gets dirty and covered with an unpleasant matt patina, seeing becomes really uncomfortable. Here are some tips to keep the lens clean by the sea…and not only:
- Always store your glasses inside their case.
- Use a soft cloth and specific products or simply a little neutral soap
- Clean your lenses at least once during the day with fresh water (never sea water!).
- Dry gently avoiding absorbent paper and handkerchiefs
5 – When you are left with frame marks on your face…
Surely, when you are lying on the couch and enjoying the suntan, having a maybe bulky frame to cover part of your face is not exactly the best for your tan. But on the other hand, you must also protect the eye contour as best you can!
Unexpected sunglasses on the beach
One inconvenience that might happen to you in this case is that you fall asleep in the sun. The result, in addition to a possible sunburn, could be that with the heat and sweat, the frame becomes annoying, even heavy and leaves some marks on the face.
It must be said that you have to be careful when exposing your frame to the sun for a long time. In fact, not all materials are the same and sustain temperatures.